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From Gizmodo…

The F-35 Lightning II, allegedly the most advanced fighter in the world, has been tried for the first time by a military service pilot. Lt. Col. James “Flipper” Kromberg of the U.S. Air Force, who can be seen in the video wearing one of those scary demon helmets, took off from Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant, flying the wonderplane through different altitudes and situations. His verdict:

“The aircraft flew very well, exceeding my expectations,” Kromberg said. “I was surprised by the amount of power on the takeoff roll. And the handling, particularly with the gear up, was phenomenal. The aircraft was very stable flying in formation with another airplane. It was really a joy to fly.” …

The F-35 Lightning II is scheduled to debut in 2011, after its maiden flight back in 2006. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan capable of delivering 40,000 pounds of force, with an additional Rolls-Royce Lift System for the F-35B short take-off and vertical landing variant, the F-35 has been designed to be the número uno strike fighter in the world until around 2040.

Go here to see the video 

Filed under: military | Tagged: f-35 lighting II, james kromberg, lockheed martin, USAF | 1 Comment »